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Wilson College Freezes Tuition for Second Consecutive Year

Posted: November 13, 2012

In recognition of how student debt is a growing impediment to achieving the dream of a college education, Wilson College will hold the line on tuition again next year for full-time, undergraduate students.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. ­­— In recognition of how student debt is a growing impediment to achieving the dream of a college education, Wilson College will hold the line on tuition again next year for full-time, undergraduate students.

The decision, made by the Board of Trustees at its October meeting, means that the 2013-14 tuition rate for full-time undergraduates will remain at $28,745 for the third year in a row.

The board also voted to keep housing fees at the current rate while approving modest hikes in fees for meals and technology. Food costs will go up 5 percent and the technology fee will increase 3 percent in 2013-14 to cover only the direct increases in the college’s cost of providing the services. The result is that full-time, residential Wilson students will pay .65 percent — or $255 — more next year for tuition and fees, combined.

Tuition for other students who pay by the course — including part-time students enrolled in the adult degree, teacher intern and master’s degree programs — will increase 5 percent in 2013-14.

The decision to hold the line on tuition full-time, undergraduate students demonstrates the college’s commitment to keeping Wilson affordable, even as higher education costs continue to rise at many other institutions.

“Wilson College understands the impact of the stagnant economy on families,” said Dr. Barbara K. Mistick, president. “We are committed to doing everything within our power to maintain the affordability of a Wilson education.”

Wilson moved up its tuition decision by several months for 2012-13. Setting it in October will give students extra time to weigh all of their college options and make a timely decision, according to Mary Ann Naso, vice president for enrollment. “The early decision distinguishes Wilson because many other institutions set tuition later,” she said.

She also urged prospective students to take advantage of Wilson’s customized net price calculator to help them analyze the true cost of attending. The net price calculator helps students decipher the difference between the full, “sticker price” of attending the college and the “net price” that they would actually pay. The net price is what a student can expect to pay after grants, scholarships and financial aid that are likely to be available them, based on their individual situations, are factored into the equation.

The decision to maintain the 2011-12 tuition rate for another year also reflects the ongoing economic recession, which is affecting enrollment at colleges and universities across the nation.

“The financial concerns of our students and their families have not changed over the course of the past year,” Mistick said. “As a result we have taken the initiative to make an early decision to hold our tuition.”

For the 12th consecutive year, Wilson College was rated for 2013 as a “Best Value” college by the influential U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” issue for providing quality academics at an affordable price.

The tuition decision “lets our students and their families know they can be confident they are getting great value for their educational investments,” Mistick said.

Wilson awards $12 million in aid and scholarships annually and 99 percent of students receive some form of financial aid. Wilson does not reduce its own institutional grants or scholarships for students who receive outside aid, allowing students to reduce the amount of borrowing, according to Naso.

Wilson College is a liberal arts college founded in 1869. The institution, which prides itself on offering its student individual attention, has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1. Students may choose from more than 40 fields of study, including majors, minors, concentrations and certificates, as well as two master’s degrees. Additional opportunities are available in physical education and dance; pre-professional programs in law, medicine, veterinary medicine and the health sciences; and a variety of special learning opportunities, internships and study-abroad programs.

Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a liberal arts college in Chambersburg, Pa., that is dedicated to the education of women and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Today, women and men can earn bachelor’s degrees in 30 areas and master’s degrees in education and the humanities. The college’s 2012-13 enrollment in the College for Women and the Adult Degree Programs is 695 and includes 17 students from nine foreign countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.